MarcM

One of my favorite punk/LA hardcore bands from the 80's( who is still playing together, BTW!) ,X, mentions several other local bands in their song "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts." It is on the album "More Fun In The New World" The song laments, among other things, how their kind of music is not played on the major radio stations in favor of AOR. The lyrics are: "..The facts we hate, youll never hear us! I hear the radio its finally gonna play new music, you know... the British invasion.... but what about the Minutemen, Fleasheaters, D.O.A., Big Boys and the Black Flag? Will the last American bands to get played on the radio, please bring the flag? Please bring the flag!

Some local band names of yore: Mojo Clam Mojo Nixon Modern Fabric (Featuring Anso Nylon the 4th) Rad Big Bucket of F**k Snotty Scotty and the Hankeys The Dickies Black Flag Janes Addiction Only the last two really went anywhere. I am sure there are more, but I cant think of them right now.

The Kids Are Alright The Who Nighthawks at the Diner Tom Waits Players: Tom Waits: Guitar, Piano, Vocals Pete Christlieb: Saxophone, Tenor Sax Lew Tabackin: Saxophone Jack Sheldon: Trumbet Jim Hugart: Bass Shelly Manne: Drums MUSTHEAR REVIEW: A timeless live-in-studio performance by one of the most original artists of the past 30 years. This album has the distinctly bohemian feel of a smoky Greenwich village café transplanted onto the blooming desert wasteland of the Los Angeles metropolitan region. His lyrics are random and poetic, sketching out shifty characters and strange misadventures straight out of Waits' "narcotic American night." Jazz backed and swaggering, Waits lures you into his lurid underworld of all-night diners and forgotten truck stops. Nighthawks resounds with the intimacy of a small night club caught in the midst of an inspired after-hours session. Waits swings and rhymes over walking bass lines, lightly brushed cymbals, and breathy saxophones, creating an atmosphere heavy with smoke and the clang of empty bottles. Opening the album with a comically bleak "Emotional Weather Report," Waits sets the tone of what is to follow, singing with self-effacing candor about his alcohol drenched loneliness and desperation. "Eggs & Sausage" aches beautifully with a hunger that can't be satisfied by the greasy fare and heartburn of late-night dives. He sings about obsessive love in "Nobody." Despite his reluctant vulnerability, Waits is no sap, and his schtick is always that of the tough guy loner. He proclaims the virtues of his go-it-alone philosophy in "Better Off Without a Wife." He tells epic tales of the bazaar, such as the engrossing "Ballad of Big Joe and Phantom 309." Having packed the studio audience with sympathizers, Waits knows he is singing to the choir, as he launches into comic spoken-word interludes between songs that tear the house down. This is a great album for playing poker, shooting dice, or going on a lost-weekend tour through the underbelly of America. Waits' genius and theatrical charm are in strong evidence, and at 70 minutes in length, the fun goes on and on. Throw away your books on tape and pop this into your deck! ---John Ballon (email) I could not have said it better! Seriously, I'm not that good a writer

When I hear "Singing in the Rain", I think of the movie "A Clockwork Orange" by Stanley Kubrick

Got to love a song about masturbation!

Moon the Loon!!

MAN!!! Those kittens ROCK!

The begining of "New Lace Sleeves" by E. Costello has a cool bass and hi-hat thing going on. I also like the begining and the key change of "Eminence Front" by The Who. Speaking of The Who, I pretty much cant get enough of all of "Quadrophenia." Just an awesome album IMHO. I know I have more, but thats all I can think of for now.

I dont listen to rap, but I do not want to keep anyone from expressing their bad selves. The thing I object to is having it forced into my ear at a stop light. I would be a hypocrite, though, if I complained because I used to want to share (inflict) my "musical taste" on others 20 years ago. I guess rap is the latest incarnation of how some teens drive those older than them batty. I guess I'm getting old...

I would have to say "The Kids Are Alright"-The Who and "X-The Un-heard Music"-X Both bring me back to my earlier days

I like Yugoslavian Gusle music: Gusle is an very old instrument played all over the Serb lands. Its songs were basic and often the only way to hand down traditions and memory of Serb people during the rule of foreigners. People gathered around gusle players and listened epic songs about Serb heroes and suffering of Serb nation. Very often, large crowd and players began to cry touched by very emotional contents. It is said that in the year of 1189 grand Serb chieftain Stefan Nemanja saw German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa off from the city of Nis to Third Crusade with the sounds of gusle songs. Montenegrin prince-bishop, greatest Serb poet and father of modern Serb national identity Petar II Petrovic Njegos, in his poem "The Mountain Wreath" through words of his literature hero Vuk Micunovic said: "In a house where the gusle is not heard, both the house and the people there are dead". Amen brother!

My favorite soundtrack is for "Sid&Nancy." If you like Joe Strummer, The Pouges, Pray For Rain, etc, it is worth finding. I hope it is still available.

Ah! Music to mime by......

Ray Charles passed away yesterday (06-10-04) in his Beverly Hills home. He was 73. Thank you Mr Charles for all of your contributions to popular music and to the world.

Summer Time Blues- either by Blue Cheer or The Who Long Hot Summer- Paul Weller (The Style Counsel)

I liked The Wall. I think the most disturbing movie, though, was Led Zep's "The Song Remains the Same." That was just wierd.

I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) by Otis Redding Cinnamon Girl by Neil Young

Granted, Ringo was not the most talented Beatle. But I have to admit, I did like his solo album "Ringo." I remember listening to that album when I was small in the late 70's. I was able to relive my childhood memories of that album with the VH1 Storytellers CD. It was OK. I wish I would have spent the extra time and effort looking for a CD of "Ringo", though.

This was my wife and mine's first dance. Little Trip to Heaven (On the Wings of your Love) By Tom Waits Lazy trip to heaven on the wings of your love Banana moon is shining in the sky, Feel like I'm in heaven when you're with me Know that I'm in heaven when you smile, Though we're stuck here on the ground, I got something that I've found And it's you. And I don't have to take no trip to outer space All I have to do is look at your face, And before I know it, I'm in orbit around you Thanking my lucky stars that I've found you, When I see your constellation, honey, you're my inspiration, and it's you. You're my north star when I'm lost and feeling blue, The sun is breaking through the clouds don't you, don't you know it's true? Honey, all the other stars seem dim around you Thanking my lucky stars that I've found you, When I see your smiling face, honey, I know nothing ever going to take your place, and it's you. And it's you, and it's you, and it's you, and it's you, and it's you And it's you, and it's you, shoo-be-doo, ba-da-da.

Yogi was an existentialist